The Alleged Seddon Voucher.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 484, 23 August 1905, Page 5

The Alleged Seddon Voucher.

Messrs Larcombe, Willis, and West arrived in Wellington on Friday last to give evidence before the Auditor-General on the Fisher charges. All three stick to their original story Without any qualification, and under cross-examination by their friends are unhesitating and firm in their recollection of the incident. Captain Seddon, on the other hand, gives a blank denial that he received any such voucher referred to. Below we publish the affidavits of both parties.

THE POST-OFFICE CLERKS' AFFIDAVITS.

The full 'text of the affidavits of Messrs Larcomoe, Wills and West, which have been placed in the hands of the AuditorGeneral, are as follows: William John Larcombe swears i (1) I am a clerk employed in the General Post office at Christchurch; (2) at some date in the year 1904 there passed through my hands a voucher made out in favour of R. J. S. Seddon for the reorganisation of defence stores at Wellington; (3) that such voucher is for an amount exceeding £7O; (4) that I showed the said voucher to Joseph '■ Willis, a clerk in the chief clerk's room at the Christchurch Post office; (5) the' amount of such voucher was charged against the Defence vote ; (6) that at the time I showed the said voucher to the said Joseph Willis we both remarked on the fact of such a voucher being made payable at Christchurch. Joseph Willis swears ! (1) lam a clerk employed in the. chief clerk's office in the General Post office, Christchurch; (2) that sometime during the year 1904 I saw a voucher made out in.favour of R. J. S. Seddon for the reorganisation of Defence stores at Wellington; (3) that such voucher was for an amount exceeding £7O; (4) that the said voucher was shown to me by William J. Larcombe, a clerk employed in the chief clerk's room in the Post office, Christchurch; (5) I distinctly remember that the amount of such voucher was charged against the Defence vote, but which part of such vote I cannot remember; (6) that at the time the voucher was shown to me by the said William James Larcombe we both remarked on the fact of such voucher being made payable in Christchurch.

Thomas Walter West swears: (1) lama clerk employed in the office of the Chief Postmaster at Christchurch ; (2) that some time during the year 1904 I saw a voucher made out in, favour of R. J. S. Seddon for reorganisation of Defence stores j (3) that such voucher was for an amount exceeding £7O. A BLANK DENIAL. The following is the declaration which was attached to Captain Seddon's petition : "I, Richard John Spots wood Seddon, of Wellington, Captain, do hereby solemnly and sincerely declare: (1) During the whole period of my employment in the public service of N.Z. I have never received from the Imperial or New Zealand Government any payment whatever in Christchurch; (2) I-have never performed any services in or about reorganising Defence stores; (3) I have never received, in Christchurch or elsewhere, any payment between £7O or £BO, or any other sum for reorganising Defence stores, either from the Imperial or New Zealand Government; (4) I have read the statement made by Mr Fisher, M.H.R,, with respect to a voucher for a payment to me of between £7O or £BO, and I say tha't I never saw or received or signed any such voucher or received any such payment; (5) I have never, at any time or any place, received any sum or sums of money whatever from the New Zealand or Imperial Governments to which I was not legally and pro* perly entitled under the terms of my engagement as a servant or officer of either of the said Governments. ■— (Signed.) R. J, S. SEDDON.

Wellington, August 21st

- Messrs West, Willis, and Larcombe, the three Ghristchurch officials who signed the affidavits which Mr Fisher laid on the table of the House, have given their evidence before the Auditor-General; They stuck to the story contained in the affidavits'; declared that they had seen, handled, and commented on the voucher; and denied that it had any connection with the celebrated Sneddon voucher, similar documents to which they see almost weekly. The AuditorGeneral has, it is stated, instructed Willis to search for the voucher, and all the Treasury vouchers for the past four years have been placed at his disposal. If it ever existed it must still exist, or the absence of its number, as vouchers ate numbered consecutively, would indicate its disappearance, and enable the other two records which are kept to be easily discovered.

A Derbyshire farmer, having purchased a small fljck of sheep in the Lowland.", drove the flock the whole way from Scotland to bis farm in Derbyshire with the aid of a collie dog, which was lent to him by the Scotch farmer. " When you get to your liome with the sheep," said the Scotsman, " let the dog fill his belly; then tell him to go home." The Derbyshire man, however, was so pleased.with the collie dog and its performance that he decided to keep it for a few days. One day he was away from home during the whole day, and on returning in the evening he found that the Scotch collie was missing and also tbe flock of sheep. In a few days tidings came that the dog had arrived at his Scotch home, and had brought the sheep back with him 1